ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Crown Prosecution Service

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many complaints about the Crown Prosecution Service have concerned its handling of cases of (a) rape, (b) sexual offences other than rape, (c) burglary, (d) offences against the person, (e) other violent crime and (f) fraud and other economic crimes in each of the last three years.

Oliver Heald: The following table shows the number of complaints received by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) concerning its handling of the offences outlined above, which were completed in each financial year since 1 April 2010. The financial year 2012-13 includes those complaints completed up to 28 January 2013.
	
		
			 Offence 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13(1) Total 
			 Rape 29 33 22 84 
			 Sexual offences other than rape 123 85 60 269 
			 Burglary 61 44 36 142 
			 Offences against the person 582 392 281 1,258 
			 Other violent crime 68 47 27 143 
			 Fraud and other economic crimes 95 62 31 189 
			 (1 )To 28 January 2013

Crown Prosecution Service

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General what proportion of complaints made against the Crown Prosecution Service have concerned a decision not to charge; and how many such complaints have been upheld in each of the last three years.

Oliver Heald: The following table shows the proportion of complaints made against the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) where the type of complaint related to legal decision making or mixed (legal and non legal) decision making, and where the complaint was upheld or partly upheld. It is not possible to ascertain what proportion of these complaints concerned a decision not to charge without examining individual complaint records which would incur a disproportionate costs.
	
		
			  2010-11 2011-12 2012-13(1) Total 
			 Percentage complaints upheld 11.4 9.2 9.6 10.3 
			 Percentage complaints part upheld 9.0 10.2 7.5 9.1 
			 (1 )Up to 28 January 2013

Crown Prosecution Service

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General by what date the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) intends to accept the recent recommendation of HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspector that it should cease omitting to classify as complaints letters received by its Parliamentary Correspondence Unit from hon. Members writing on behalf of constituents with complaints about the CPS.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) follows the Cabinet Office rules governing the handling of Members' correspondence on behalf of their constituents. “Handling Correspondence from Members of Parliament, Members of the House of Lords. MEPs and Members of Devolved Assemblies: Guidance for Departments” was published in July 2005. To abide by these guidelines, the CPS has processes in place which monitor the timeliness and nature of the questions raised by Members and their constituents.
	The recommendations made in the Her Majesty's Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) latest report will be considered alongside the ongoing work taking place following the recent CPS Refocusing agenda.

Crown Prosecution Service

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how much the Crown Prosecution Service has spent to date on addressing the concerns about its complaints handling identified by HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspector in 2009.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has spent approximately an estimated spend of (exclusive of VAT) £376,704 on addressing the concerns raised about complaints handling by Her Majesty's Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) in their 2009 report. This estimated cost includes spending on a new complaints IT system, modifications to the IT system since April 2010 to date, staff training, publications and any other additional costs of bought in services and direct cost products. This estimated cost does not include staff costs.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Basic Skills

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the implementation of the literacy and numeracy proposals made in his 2011 New Challenges, New Chances report.

Matthew Hancock: In the last spending review the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) secured continued funding of English and maths courses for adults who lack these basic skills. Provisional data for the full 2011/12 academic year show that there were 788,600 learners (aged 19+) taking an English qualification and 778,500 taking a Maths qualification, and we are now funding GCSE English and maths qualifications for adults from the 2012/13 academic year.
	New freedoms and flexibilities have been put in place whereby FE colleges and providers have a single Adult Skills Budget which enables them to respond to learner and employer needs locally.
	New unit-based English and maths qualifications that are tailored to the differential needs and learning patterns of adults are now available. These qualifications provide the necessary rigour and flexibility to support progression from lower levels towards a GCSE or other training.
	New pilots are under way which are seeking to determine how providers can be funded on the basis of the skills gained by their learners, to incentivise providers to maximise skills acquisition.
	As set out in ‘New Challenges, New Chances’, BIS is raising demand for maths improvement working through stakeholders rather than using a top-down approach as has been the case with previous campaigns.
	In addition, BIS is undertaking a new programme of research and evaluation.

UK Equity Markets: Business Review

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the responses of the investment management industry to Recommendation 8 of the Kay review in relation to the full disclosure of all costs on investment funds; and if he will make a statement.

Jo Swinson: The Government believe there should be transparency of all costs and charges in the investment chain.
	The Government welcome recent initiatives on cost transparency developed by investment industry bodies, including the Investment Management Association (IMA), the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) and the Association of British Insurers (ABI). The Government are seeking to address with the industry what further steps are necessary, including in the context of developments in EU regulation, to bring about a disclosure regime which provides clear, comprehensive information on costs and charges to all savers.
	A progress report will be published by the Government in summer 2014, setting out whether Kay's recommendations have been achieved, assessing the progress made by the investment industry to this recommendation and what further action may be necessary.

Exports: Greater London

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the (a) total value and (b) level of growth was for exports from businesses based in London in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon: Regional data on trade in goods are published by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in its quarterly Regional Trade Statistics publication.
	These figures show that businesses based in London exported £35.2 billion worth of goods in 2011, a 24.0% increase from the £28.4 billion exported in 2010.
	It should be noted that London data are subject to ‘head office' distortions.
	The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) produces annually estimates of regional exports of services. However, these cover only 30% of total services and the latest year for which information is available is 2010. The latest data (available from Table F4 at the following link) show that London-based businesses exported around £27 billion worth of services in 2010.
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/16337/12-259-regional-economic-performance-indicators-2012-tables.xls

Insolvency

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has had any recent discussions with (a) other Ministers in his Department, (b) officials and (c) consumer groups about bringing forward legislative proposals to amend the Insolvency Act 1986 to give preferential creditor status to those consumers who have purchased gift vouchers from companies in the UK.

Jo Swinson: There are no plans to bring forward such legislative proposals on gift vouchers. Ministers in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills continue to discuss consumer protection issues in insolvency situations with relevant parties.

Technology and Innovation Centres

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what investment the Technology Strategy Board has made in cell therapy technology innovation centres.

David Willetts: The Cell Therapy Catapult technology and innovation centre receives grant funding from the Technology Strategy Board and the total grant funding paid to date is £1.74 million. The five-year business plan for the Cell Therapy Catapult, including future funding, is currently waiting approval.

Whisky: Scotland

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the financial contribution of the Scotch whisky industry to the UK economy in the next 12 months.

Michael Fallon: The Scotch whisky industry is a UK success story, with exports worth £3.5 billion in 2011 and an estimated Gross Value Added of £3 billion. The industry employs over 10,000 people with a further 25,000 people employed indirectly in supply chains. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has not made an assessment of the UK Scotch whisky industry's likely performance in the next 12 months.

CABINET OFFICE

Broadband

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the cost to central Government of broadband not being universally available.

Nick Hurd: In line with the practice of previous Administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.

Business: Birmingham

Jack Dromey: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of (a) small and (b) medium-sized businesses in (i) Birmingham, Erdington constituency and (ii) Birmingham in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated January 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question.
	Annual statistics on the number of businesses {enterprises) are available from the ONS release—UK Business: Activity, Size and Location at
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/bus-register/uk-business/index.html
	Data on the number of enterprises broken down by parliamentary constituency within region and country by employment size band can be found in table B6.2 of the publication and details of districts, counties and unitary authorities within region and country by employment size band can be found in table B1.2.
	The following table contains the count of small and medium sized businesses that were in the Birmingham, Erdington constituency and Birmingham from 2008 to 2012, Small businesses have been defined as those with an employment between 0 and 49 and medium-sized businesses as those with an employment between 50 and 249.
	
		
			  2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			  Small Medium Small Medium Small Medium Small Medium Small Medium 
			 Birmingham, Erdington constituency 1,590 30 1,565 35 1,515 35 1,460 45 1,555 35 
			 Birmingham 25,325 500 25,055 510 24,085 485 23,425 490 24,325 515 
			 Notes: 1. Figures have been rounded. 2. These numbers do not include very small businesses, typically those below the threshold for VAT and PAYE.

Charities: Schools

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what recent representations he has received about the loss of charitable status by some schools in Scotland;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the tax implications if charitable status were to be removed from any school in Scotland;
	(3)  what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government regarding the implications of the removal of charitable status by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator from any school in Scotland.

Nick Hurd: Charity law and regulation are devolved matters in Scotland. Decisions about the charitable status of organisations in Scotland are for the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator acting under the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005.
	I have received no recent representations about the loss of charitable status by some schools in Scotland, had no discussions with the Scottish Government on this subject and made no assessment of the tax implications. Tax is a reserved matter, and the availability of charitable tax reliefs throughout the United Kingdom is a matter for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.

Conditions of Employment

Julie Elliott: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people are employed on zero-hour contracts in No. 10 Downing Street.

Francis Maude: The Prime Minister's Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 28 January 2013, Official Report, column 676W.

Government Departments: Internet

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the costs to Government Departments of non-online transactions due to the internet not being universally available;
	(2)  what methodology his Department used to calculate transaction costs in his Department's transaction explorer.

Nick Hurd: We recognise that digital services are not suitable for all: our policy is digital-by-default; it is not digital by compulsion. We estimate that moving services from offline to digital channels will save between £1.7 and £1.8 billion a year.
	When calculating the total cost of providing a service, Departments used the guidance issued by Her Majesty's Treasury, which is published in ‘Managing Public Money’.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what the total number of appointments was to non-departmental public bodies where the preferred candidate was not appointed by the Prime Minister in each year since 2002;
	(2)  what was the (a) name of the proposed appointee, (b) name of the non-departmental body and (c) relevant Government Department for each proposed appointment to a non-departmental public body where the preferred candidate was not appointed by the Prime Minister since May 2010.

Francis Maude: The information is not held centrally.

Voluntary Work

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the average amount of time spent volunteering was by people in each 10 year age band in each of the last 30 years.

Nick Hurd: Between 2001 and 2011 the Government used the Citizenship Survey to assess levels of volunteering in the UK. The results are in the public domain and can be accessed here:
	http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20120919132719/http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/pdf/2056233.pdf
	The Cabinet Office does not hold comparable data for the period before 2000.
	Additionally the Cabinet Office will shortly be publishing figures on participation in volunteering from the 2012 Community Life Survey.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Child: Protection

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of local authorities' ability to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in need; and what assessment he has made of the effects of reductions in spending on this service.

Brandon Lewis: holding answer 31 January 2013
	We have proposed a fair settlement for 2013-14 and 2014-15. The settlement allows local authorities to keep nearly £11 billion of business rates, and to keep the growth on that share of business rates providing a direct financial incentive to councils delivering growth. We estimate that this could deliver around an extra £10 billion to the wider economy by 2020.
	It is for individual local authorities to determine their budgets, however, we have been clear that councils should be making sensible savings, to protect frontline services and keep council tax down.
	Ofsted and the Department for Education operate effective mechanisms to ensure local authorities are meeting their statutory duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Housing: Construction

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much Government-owned land has been released (a) in total and (b) by each Government department for housing use in each of the last two years. [R]

Mark Prisk: The Government's programme to accelerate the release of its surplus land with capacity for housing in this spending review period has identified land with capacity for over 100,000 homes. This includes land held by Ministry of Defence, Department of Health and the Departments for Transport and the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who for the first time published land disposal strategies in October 2011.
	The Department collects data on sites sold every six months. The total estimated housing capacity of land released by November 2012 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Total to date(1) 
			 DEFRA 9,160 
			 MOD 8,200 
			 DH (includes NHS trusts) 5,410 
			 DFT 2,870 
			 DCLG (inc. HCA) 4,540 
			 Other(2) 2,750 
			 Total 33,000 
			 (1) Figures rounded to nearest 10 (2) This includes small landholding departments such as MOJ, HO, and DCMS.

Local Government Finance

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authorities have requested a review of alternative notional amount figures for their authority to date.

Brandon Lewis: Alternative notional amounts for 2012-13 were first proposed on 20 December 2012. 10 local authorities asked for their amounts to be revised before the deadline for representations of 15 January 2013. These calculations were subsequently revised in respect of all local authorities and my officials wrote on 24 January proposing revised amounts and setting out the reasons for the revisions. I am placing a copy of that letter in the Library of the House.
	Local authorities have had until 31 January to respond to these and we are considering their representations before finalising alternative notional amounts for each authority. Final amounts will be included in a report for the approval of the House of Commons in parallel with the report on the Local Government Finance Settlement.

Markets

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how much income district and unitary councils in England obtained from market stalls in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012;
	(2)  what funding and support his Department has made available to councils and their market stall holders to increase income from the stalls.

Mark Prisk: Information on income from market stalls from district and unitary councils is not collected centrally. Decisions on the day to day running of markets are for local councils to make. My Department runs the Working Group on Retail Markets which works with the markets industry representatives, the Local Government Association and interested departments, to ensure that the markets industry has a voice at national level too. On 31 January my Department announced a grant to the National Association of British Market Authorities to support them in the running of the “Love Your Local Market” campaign in May this year. The same campaign last year saw over 400 market events taking place throughout England, with local councils and other market providers offering incentivised stalls and support to new traders. Many places reported increased footfall during these events.

Planning Permission: Christchurch

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to decide whether to call in for his own determination the planning application for development at Bailey Drive, Christchurch, which was referred to him on 5 November 2012 pursuant to the Town and Country Planning (Consultation) England Direction 2009.

Nicholas Boles: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government is aware of the considerable level of public interest from within my hon. Friend’s constituency in relation to this matter and expects to issue a decision in the next two weeks.

Social Rented Housing: Greater London

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many new social housing starts there were in London in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: Information about house building starts by tenure in each local authority area are published in the Department's live table 253, at the following link. Taken together, the Housing Association and local authority tenures comprise the social housing starts.
	https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-house-building

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Employment Agencies

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total spending on recruitment agencies by her Department was in each month from July to December 2012.

Hugh Robertson: The following table sets out the total spending on recruitment agencies in each month from July to December 2012. These figures include fees paid to the staff recruited via the agency for roles within the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. During the period all fees to agencies were for placements of temporary staff and interim managers. All temporary recruitment during this period was in order to provide specialist skills needed by the Department for specific projects.
	
		
			  Amount spent on recruitment agencies (£) 
			 2012  
			 December 358,778.93 
			 November 277,870.20 
			 October 402,782.56 
			 September 335,546.30 
			 August 260,661.02 
			 July 269,335.08

Football

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had with the Football Association on its stewardship of football clubs where the owners appear to be acting in an irresponsible manner.

Hugh Robertson: The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Maria Miller) last met the chair of the Football Association on 3 October to discuss a wide range of football issues around reforming the governance of the game.
	We expect wide-ranging reforms, including the introduction of a new licensing system for clubs, by the start of the 2013 season. We expect the licensing system to address concerns around financial sustainability and the ownership of clubs.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under which legal jurisdiction UK armed forces personnel in Afghanistan after 2014 will be acting.

Mark Francois: At the NATO Chicago conference nations agreed, at the request of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, to a new NATO-led post-2014 mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan National Security Forces. Details on how we will conduct the post-2014 mission, including the legal basis, have not yet been finalised. Discussions on status of forces is ongoing.

Afghanistan

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who will be responsible for operating and maintaining UK defence equipment left in Afghanistan after 2014.

Andrew Robathan: Final decisions on what equipment will not be returned to the UK after 2014 have not yet been taken. Decisions will be made on a case by case basis after considering principles of operational priority and the best value for money for the UK taxpayer.

Africa

Gemma Doyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether there is a defence attaché in (a) Mali, (b) Niger, (c) Nigeria, (d) Algeria, (e) Mauritania, (f) Burkina Faso, (g) Chad, (h) Libya, (i) Sudan, (j) South Sudan, (k) Ethiopia, (l) Somalia, (m) Kenya and (n) Western Sahara;
	(2)  if he will publish the dates of recent correspondence or e-grams between his Department and the (a) defence attaché and (b) British embassy in (i) Mali, (ii) Niger, (iii) Nigeria, (iv) Algeria, (v) Mauritania, (vi) Burkina Faso, (vii) Chad, (viii) Libya, (ix) Sudan, (x) South Sudan, (xi) Ethiopia, (xii) Somalia, (xiii) Kenya and (xiv) Western Sahara.

Andrew Murrison: We have accredited defence attachés or advisers in defence sections within our embassies and high commissions in Nigeria, Algeria, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya. We also have a defence section in the British Office for Somalia, currently based in Nairobi.
	Our defence adviser in Ghana holds non-residential accreditation as defence attaché in Mali. Our defence adviser in Morocco holds non-residential accreditation as defence attaché in Mauritania.
	We do not have accredited defence representation in Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad, or Western Sahara. Defence representation in Libya is currently provided by a senior British military representative.
	The Ministry of Defence (MOD) communicates with defence sections on a daily basis.

Armed Forces: Housing Benefit

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of how many armed forces personnel will be affected by the proposed change to housing benefit in relation to the under-occupancy of social housing.

Mark Francois: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 January 2013, Official Report, column 387W, in which I stated that the decision to claim benefits is a private matter on which the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has no requirement to collect information. However, despite the lack of such information, we estimate that very few full-time service personnel will be affected by the proposed change, as the majority of them live in service accommodation. It is possible that some reserve personnel could be affected but the MOD does not record if a reservist is in receipt of housing benefit or if they reside in a home where it is being claimed.
	Officials are seeking a meeting with their counterparts in the Department for Work and Pensions to seek to better understand the implications of the proposed change for reservists when they are mobilised or away from home on training.
	The Service Personnel and Veterans Agency is available to provide advice to both full-time and reserve personnel on housing benefit issues.

Armed Forces: Liverpool

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many injured serving and ex-serving armed forces personnel are resident in Liverpool; and how many such people will receive the armed forces independence payment.

Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence does not hold information regarding the number of injured serving and ex-serving personnel resident in Liverpool.
	However, as at 1 December 2012 there were 30 serving personnel stationed in Liverpool who were classed as not deployable due to medical reasons. As at 3 March 2012 there were 1,675 ex-service personnel with a contact address in Liverpool who receive payment from the War Pensions Scheme, and as at 30 September 2012, 25 ex-service personnel with a contact address in Liverpool were in receipt of a payment from the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.
	To date we have identified less than 10 serving and ex- serving personnel with a contact address in Liverpool who will qualify for the payment of the armed forces independence payment. However, those who do not meet the eligibility criteria will still be able to apply for the personal independence payment.

Armed Forces: Liverpool

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers from Liverpool are serving in the armed forces.

Mark Francois: holding answer 31 January 2013
	This information is not held in the format requested.

Armed Forces: Redundancy

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which units in the (a) RAF, (b) Army and (c) Royal Navy are liable for redundancy under tranche 3; and when he expects the tranche 4 redundancy programme to commence.

Mark Francois: The tranche 3 redundancy announcement relates only to Army personnel and does not affect Royal Navy and Royal Air Force units.
	Army personnel will be selected for redundancy by assessing criteria such as rank, arm, length of service and career employment group in areas where it is predicted that a surplus of Army manpower will exist in the future structure. An individual's unit is not a factor in this decision.
	As already announced to Parliament, there is likely to be a need for a further tranche of redundancy for Army personnel and limited numbers of medical and dental personnel from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force in due course. The precise timing of this has not yet been decided.

Recruitment

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on advertising job vacancies since May 2010.

Mark Francois: Although the Ministry of Defence is reducing its civilian staff headcount and has imposed a freeze on most external recruitment, we still need to recruit for posts that are business critical or provide support to current operational commitments. We have for example to fill a number of senior civil service posts critical to driving forward our reform agenda. These posts are usually advertised across a range of specialist media, as well as on the civil service jobs website. The amount spent on recruitment advertising since May 2010 is £912,900.

Territorial Army: Employment

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the size of companies which employ serving members of the Territorial Army.

Mark Francois: holding answer 31 January 2013
	Members of the Territorial Army (TA) are drawn from a wide range of companies. Current figures from Supporting Britain's Reservists and Employers (SaBRE) are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Percentage of TA members 
			 Large (500+ employees) 15 
			 Medium (50 to 499 employees) 17 
			 Small (one to 49 employees) 17 
			 Self-employed 5 
			 Unemployed (inc students) 42 
			 Mobilised (TA) 4

Theft

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 1 May 2012, Official Report, column 1533W, on theft, how much of the property listed was recovered; and whether there have been any prosecutions related to these thefts.

Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence takes detecting and deterring theft seriously. No items listed have been recovered and no prosecutions were undertaken. In many cases a suspected perpetrator is not identified or there is insufficient evidence to pursue a prosecution. Where a suspected perpetrator is identified prosecution or internal disciplinary action follows as appropriate. If a property reappears having being incorrectly recorded as stolen, this is not recorded.

Veterans: Employment

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what proportion of those who leave the armed forces find employment within a year in (a) London, (b) Manchester, (c) Newcastle, (d) Colchester, (e) Aldershot, (f) Catterick, (g) Glasgow, (h) Liverpool, (i) Alyn and Deeside, (j) Argyll, (k) Devizes, (l) Dumfries, (m) Edinburgh, (n) Folkstone, (o) Gosport, (p) Hampshire, (q) Norfolk, (r) Portsmouth and (s) Salisbury;
	(2)  what proportion of officers who leave the armed forces find full-time employment within (a) six months and (b) two years of leaving;
	(3)  what proportion of former members of the armed forces are (a) in full-time employment, (b) in part-time employment, (c) claiming jobseeker's allowance, (d) claiming employment and support allowance and (e) claiming incapacity benefit.

Mark Francois: holding answer 30 January 2013
	The Ministry of Defence (MOD) seeks to ensure that all former service personnel are well equipped to take up future employment in a location and career of their choice when they leave.
	Once they have left military service there is no requirement for those personnel to maintain contact with the MOD. Therefore it is not possible to be specific about the employment status of former personnel in named towns or regions, nor about the benefits they may claim.
	Nationally, those persons who left the services and were eligible for resettlement with the Career Transition Partnership (CTP) scheme, a partnering arrangement between MOD and Right Management Limited, are sent a questionnaire six months after they leave the armed forces to monitor their employment status. Those who complete the questionnaire and return it indicate that more than 90% of former CTP participants found employment within six months. This is the same for former officers and enlisted personnel.

Veterans: Employment

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average length of time is for which veterans are out of work before finding employment after leaving the armed forces.

Mark Francois: holding answer 30 January 2013
	The vast majority of some 20,000 personnel who leave the armed forces each year make a successful transition to civilian life, including gaining employment. Once a veteran leaves the armed forces they are not required to maintain contact with the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and therefore the MOD does not hold the information requested.
	However, the figures supplied by the Career Transition Partnership (CTP) scheme suggest that more than 90% of those service personnel who participate in their scheme secure employment within six months. For veterans who qualify, active participation with CTP remains an option for up to two years after discharge.

Veterans: Employment

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many veterans are employed in (a) London, (b) Manchester, (c) Newcastle, (d) Colchester, (e) Aldershot, (f) Catterick, (g) Glasgow and (h) Liverpool.

Mark Francois: holding answer 31 January 2013
	This information is not held in the format requested.

EDUCATION

Bullying: Internet

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to address cyberbullying in schools and elsewhere.

Elizabeth Truss: The Government introduced new laws through the Education Act 2011 to strengthen the authority of teachers to enforce discipline and promote good behaviour, published updated advice to schools on behaviour and bullying (including cyberbullying), and are holding schools to account on how well they deal with bullying through the new Ofsted inspections framework. Through the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS), the Government work with more than 200 organisations to develop tools and information for children and parents to address online risks such as cyberbullying.

Schools: Cumbria

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on (a) securing future funding arrangements for and (b) making progress with implementing the projects at (i) Stainburn School for which funding has been granted from the Priority Schools Programme and (ii) the Energy Coast University Technical College (UTC) at Lillyhall for which funding has been granted from the UTC Programme; and what methodology will be applied in the assessment of pupil numbers to ensure the optimum implementation of both projects.

David Laws: holding answer 30 January 2013
	Both the Priority Schools Building Programme (PSBP) and University Technical Colleges (UTCs) fall within the remit of the Department for Education (DFE).
	DFE officials have had continuing discussions with Cumbria County Council about its application for the PSBP in relation to Stainburn School, and with the Energy Coast UTC sponsors as that project proceeds through the pre-opening phase.
	The Energy Coast UTC project is currently near the end of a statutory consultation period. The outcome of that consultation will help inform the decision as to whether the Secretary of State for Education should enter into a Funding Agreement with the Energy Coast UTC Academy Trust:
	Cumbria County Council submitted a joint application to have Stainburn School and Science College and Southfield Technology College rebuilt as one school. The local authority needs to determine the appropriate capacity for the new school that will be built under the PSBP.
	Once the capacity for the new school has been determined Cumbria County Council will need to run a statutory consultation on the proposals.
	DFE officials will continue discussions with Cumbria County Council and the Energy Coast UTC Academy Trust about their respective projects, including discussion of pupil number data and how these affect both projects.

Teachers: Training

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the distribution of teacher training places in the (a) North Staffordshire sub-region and (b) West Midlands region.

David Laws: For the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEAs, 191 teacher training places have been allocated directly to schools via the School Direct programme. 183 postgraduate teacher training places in the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent LEAs have been allocated directly to Initial Teacher Training (ITT) providers via core provision.
	For the West Midlands region as a whole, 964 teacher training places have been allocated directly to schools via the School Direct programme. 2,415 postgraduate and 531 undergraduate teacher training places in the West Midlands region have been allocated directly to ITT providers via core provision.
	The table shows the distribution of teacher training places across core provision and School Direct in the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent LEAs and West Midlands region. Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent LEAs come under the West Midlands Region.
	We will continue to monitor the geographic coverage of ITT places.
	
		
			 Teacher training route Staffordshire/Stoke West Midlands 
			 School Direct 191 964 
			 Core postgraduate 183 2,415 
			 Core undergraduate 0 531 
			 Total 374 3,910

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Biofuels

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the statement in the Friends of the Earth, RSPB and Greenpeace's Dirtier than coal? report that burning whole trees for biomass energy generation would increase greenhouse gas emissions by at least 49% compared to using coal over 40 years; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: The report produced by Friends of the Earth, RSPB and Greenpeace included an assessment of research commissioned by DECC to inform the UK Bioenergy Strategy.
	This research on UK forests and carbon impacts looked at different scenarios for the management of a UK forest and for a range of uses for the harvested wood. It found that optimal greenhouse gas (GHG) emission savings can be achieved when harvested wood is used primarily for timber where possible, with energy produced alongside it as a co-product.
	The research did not conclude that the use for energy of any ‘whole tree’, a term that encompasses both small and/or diseased trees, would result in higher GHG emissions than the coal replaced. In the case of smaller or diseased trees, energy may be their only practical use.
	The UK Bioenergy Strategy was jointly published in April 2012 by DECC, DEFRA and the Department for Transport. This sets out four key principles to steer a sustainable course, which will underpin our bioenergy policy in the years to come. These principles include that bioenergy must deliver real greenhouse gas savings looking out to 2050 and beyond.
	The UK Bioenergy Strategy, its underpinning research and a supplementary note covering key technical issues are available from the following website:
	www.gov.uk

Energy Companies Obligation

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many homes have received Energy Company Obligation support since October 2012, by region; and what the total value of support given in each region was.

Gregory Barker: Ofgem, as the administrator of the ECO scheme, will be providing monthly information on progress made against installation of measures by obligated energy suppliers. The first of these reports is due after energy suppliers have submitted to Ofgem at the end of February, and will cover all measures installed since last October. This information will be made publicly available by Ofgem, and we expect it to include data on the regional delivery of measures.

Fracking

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment has been made of the extent of possible shale gas reserves throughout the UK.

John Hayes: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr (Jonathan Edwards) on 16 January 2013, Official Report, column 768W.

Green Deal Scheme

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the reasons are for the differences between the Green Deal cashback scheme in Scotland and England and Wales; and what estimate his Department has made of the potential effects of those differences on take-up of the Green Deal in (a) Scotland and (b) England and Wales.

Gregory Barker: The differences exist between the cashback scheme in Scotland and the scheme in England and Wales because promotion of energy efficiency is a devolved matter. Scottish Ministers opted to use Scotland's share of the Green Deal incentive funds in order to design and deliver its own scheme, to ensure that it could be integrated with Scottish Government programmes and meet the specific needs of Scottish householders. This also secured a pro rata share for Scotland. The justification for the design of the Scottish scheme is a matter for Scottish Ministers, and was not influenced by DECC. DECC has not estimated the differences on take-up between the two schemes.

Green Deal Scheme

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 25 January 2013, Official Report, column 474W, on Green Deal scheme, what estimate his Department has made of the likely level of departmental underspend in 2012-13.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change keeps its expenditure forecasts under continuous review and actively manages its budgets to make best use of any emerging underspends, including taking steps to manage annual budgets across financial years. Our latest estimate of underspend for 2012-13 is £39 million out of a total budget of £3,395 million, but we expect to re-deploy most of this money to priority areas before the year end.

Green Deal Scheme

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he proposes that consumers will be subject to a credit check before being allowed to take out Green Deal finance.

Gregory Barker: Anyone providing credit to consumers has to lend responsibly. That means lenders—including Green Deal providers—are required by law to check that people will be able to make the repayments and it is for them to decide how to meet this requirement.
	At the start, the Green Deal Finance Company will be undertaking credit checks, but we estimate over 80% of the population will have sufficient credit ratings, ensuring the vast majority of people can access competitive finance for their Green Deals.

Green Deal Scheme

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what role (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have in deciding which media outlets will be used as part of the Green Deal communications campaign.

Gregory Barker: Detailed implementation plans for paid-for Green Deal communications activity, including choice of specific media outlets, have been drawn up with advice from my Department's appointed communications planning contractor, CARAT, and the cross-Government media buying agency, M4C. Final plans were agreed by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, the right hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey) and myself.

Green Deal Scheme

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to his Department's local authority competition 2012-13 projects awarded funding, how many households he expects to receive assistance for each local authority awarded funding under (a) fuel poverty funding, (b) Green Deal pioneer places funding and (c) cheaper energy together funding in 2012-13; and if he will publish further details for the competition.

Gregory Barker: Our initial estimates suggest that the fuel poverty competition could support major heating and/or insulation measures for up to 14,000 households. The final numbers of households assisted will depend on a number of delivery factors—including the characteristics of the households that local authorities (LAs) target for support and the precise mix of measures delivered.
	These factors will also affect the delivery of the Green Deal pioneer places fund. Successful bidders will carry out work to promote the Green Deal across their areas (e.g. through show homes and support for local supply chains) as well as assisting local households directly. The benefits will therefore be realised well beyond the March 2013 end date for the funding. However, based on the bids we estimate that up to 8,500 Green Deal plans could be delivered over the coming months.
	Cheaper Energy Together funding is being used to support the set up of innovative collective switching and purchasing schemes and particularly to engage with vulnerable consumers. Schemes vary from very large schemes which include a number of LAs and are therefore targeting a wide geographical area to local community based schemes. Each scheme has proposed different approaches to marketing and awareness raising which will have different impacts in reaching consumers. The Department has monitoring plans in place to evaluate their success in reaching consumers.
	We are also commissioning an evaluation of the LA fund across all three workstreams with a view to sharing learning across all LAs. This evaluation should be published in the summer.

Green Deal Scheme: Bradford

David Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the Government is doing to maximise take up of the Green Deal in Bradford East constituency.

Gregory Barker: In October last year DECC awarded funding to Leeds City Region to trial aspects of the Green Deal. As part of this funding £141,500 was awarded to Bradford council. This work includes trialling an innovative delivery method of ‘energy efficiency measures on prescription' by linking with local GPs to refer patients with a chronic ill health condition exacerbated by cold living conditions.
	To support take-up of the Green Deal nationally we also launched a £3 million national advertising campaign for the Green Deal on 29 January. This promotes the national Energy Saving Advice Service on 0300 123 1234 and the
	www.gov.uk/greendeal
	website.
	There is currently also a cashback scheme which is open to all householders across the country who take up the Green Deal.

Warm Front Scheme

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assistance his Department is providing to (a) elderly people, (b) disabled people and (c) people on low incomes to heat and insulate their homes following the ending of the Warm Front scheme.

Gregory Barker: The energy company obligation formally launched on 1 January 2013. This will provide targeted support with energy efficiency measures worth around £1.3 billion per annum to low income households and those living in hard to treat properties.
	The Affordable Warmth obligation will provide heating and insulation measures to low income, vulnerable households living in private tenure properties, including the elderly, disabled and families with children. We anticipate that 130,000 households will be assisted each year through this obligation. Further, the Carbon Saving Communities obligation will provide insulation measures to around 100,000 households per year in specified areas of low income.
	The Carbon Saving Obligation is available to all types of households, providing insulation measures to those living in properties which are harder to treat, including solid wall insulation.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Bees: Insecticides

Mark Spencer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will assess the European Food Safety Authority Scientific Opinion behind the development of a risk assessment of plant protection products on bees used by the authority to conduct its recently published review of three neonicotinoid pesticides.

David Heath: The Scientific Opinion of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on the science behind the development of a risk assessment of Plant Protection Products on bees (Apis mellifera, Bombus spp. and solitary bees) was published on 23 May 2012. UK regulatory scientists were involved in the development of this document, which is a substantial and significant review and analysis of the state of the science and forms the basis of a new bee risk assessment Guidance Document being developed by EFSA. The opinion was sent to the independent Advisory Committee on Pesticides and formed part of the information considered by the committee at its meeting on 3 July 2012.

Members: Correspondence

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department has issued guidelines to officials on responding to inquiries from the constituents of hon. Members; and if he will place in the Library any such guidelines.

Richard Benyon: All inquiries are handled in accordance with Cabinet Office guidance on the appropriate handling of Government correspondence in line with the Civil Service Code. This guidance can be found at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/content/civil-service-conduct-and-guidance
	Core DEFRA correspondence is handled centrally by a Customer Contact Unit (CCU), which seeks to answer at least 85% of all correspondence within 15 working days.
	Additional guidance to core DEFRA staff is:
	“to communicate clearly and write in plain English ensuring our replies are as polite and helpful as possible.”
	Freedom of Information and Environment Information Regulation requests are handled in accordance with the requirements of the relevant legislation.

Nappies: Waste Disposal

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of nappies recycled by the Knowaste facility in West Bromwich to date; how many nappies will be recycled at this facility in the next two years; and what proportion of waste caused by disposable nappies this will account for in that period.

Richard Benyon: Figures provided by Knowaste indicate that since the Knowaste plant opened in September 2011 it has treated 5,920 tonnes of nappies (approximately 2 million nappies).
	The projected throughput for 2013 and 2014 is 13,000 tonnes (approximately 4.4 million) and 26,000 tonnes (approximately 8.8 million) respectively.
	The Nappy Alliance estimated in 2008 that around 3 billion nappies were thrown away in the UK each year. Based on that figure this means that approximately 0.06% of nappies thrown away in the UK have been processed at the Knowaste plant since September 2011.
	If the target figures are met for the future, this percentage will rise to 0.15% in 2013 and 0.3% in 2014.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Africa

Gemma Doyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the Conflict Pool has been spent in (a) Mali, (b) Niger, (c) Nigeria, (d) Algeria, (e) Mauritania, (f) Burkina Faso, (g) Chad, (h) Libya, (i) Sudan, (j) South Sudan, (k) Ethiopia, (l) Somalia, (m) Kenya and (n) Western Sahara in (i) each of the last three years and (ii) 2012-13 to date.

Mark Simmonds: The Conflict Pool is jointly managed by the Ministry of Defence, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development. It is organised into six regional and one thematic programme: Africa, South Asia, Afghanistan, Wider Europe, Middle East and North Africa and Strengthening Alliances and Partnerships. It also funds the cross-Government Stabilisation Unit.
	Starting in financial year 2012-13, the Conflict Pool also includes a £20 million Early Action Facility (EAF), which provides rapid responses to unanticipated in-year priorities. It has been used in the current financial year to fund activity in Syria, Mali, Libya and Somalia.
	The countries in question are divided between the Africa and the Middle East and North Africa programmes. The overall allocations for the Africa Conflict Pool programme for the four financial years for which information is requested were £43 million, £42.2 million, £44.4 million and £43.8 million, representing 23%, 23.6%, 24.6% and 20.9% respectively of overall Conflict Pool funding.
	The overall allocations for the Middle East and North Africa Conflict Pool programme for the four financial years covered by this parliamentary question were £18 million, £13.8 million, £20.85 million and £23.7 million, representing 10.5%, 7.7%, 11.5% and 11.3% respectively of the overall Conflict Pool funding.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the involvement of Rwanda and Uganda in sponsoring militia attacks in Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mark Simmonds: We have received a number of reports, including from the UN Sanctions Committee Group of Experts, which provided compelling and credible evidence of support by the Government of Rwanda for the rebel militia group M23. The Group of Experts' report also concluded that individuals from Uganda had given support to militias in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

European Union

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Scottish Government (a) Ministers and (b) officials have represented the UK Government at EU or European Commission meetings in each of the last five years; when such meetings took place; and what was discussed at such meetings.

David Lidington: The representation of UK positions in the EU Council of Ministers is a matter for UK Ministers. However, they regularly agree to requests from devolved Ministers to join the UK delegation to such meetings. UK Ministers have also agreed to devolved Ministers setting out the UK approach to EU colleagues in such meetings, speaking to a single UK line on which devolved Administrations will have been consulted.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold a record of attendance at EU and European Commission meetings by Scottish Government Ministers or officials.

Uganda

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings officials of his Department have had with Ugandan officials since 2010.

Mark Simmonds: Foreign and Commonwealth (FCO) officials hold regular discussions with their Ugandan counterparts at all levels, on at least a weekly basis, in Kampala, in London, and at international meetings. We do not hold information on the number of meetings that have been held between FCO officials and their Ugandan counterparts since 2010.

HEALTH

Aspartame

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research his Department has undertaken on the safety of aspartame.

Anna Soubry: We are advised by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), the non-ministerial Government Department with responsibility for food safety, that aspartame has been extensively tested and reviewed for safety by independent experts at national, European and international level and found to be safe at current levels of use.
	The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA's) latest draft opinion, published for consultation in January, has confirmed this. Despite this, some people consider they react badly to consuming aspartame. Although not a safety study, the FSA commissioned a research study which looked at self-diagnosed individuals who consider they experience adverse effects after consuming aspartame. The results of the study will be subjected to peer review prior to publication later this year, as well as being shared with the EFSA for consideration as part of its current re-evaluation of aspartame.

Chief Medical Officer

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the chief medical officer for England speaks on behalf of the Government.

Daniel Poulter: The chief medical officer is the UK Government's principal medical adviser, and has the central role of providing independent advice to the Secretary of State for Health and the Government on the population's health.
	The chief medical officer is a civil servant, the role is an independent and non-political one, and when called upon, the chief medical officer's responsibility is to give clinical, expert advice, independent of Government, on a wide range of issues relating to the health of the public, including the handling of health related emergencies.
	The chief medical officer is the leading advocate for public health within, across and beyond Government, challenging industry, employers, and civil society to take a bigger role in, and responsibility for, public health.

General Practitioners

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to avoid any conflict of interest arising from clinical commissioning groups taking on responsibility of accrediting and re-accrediting GPs with a special interest; and if he will make a statement.

Daniel Poulter: We are considering a wide range of options for the future arrangements for the accreditation and re-accreditation of general practitioners with special interests, and will be making an announcement in due course. The need to manage potential conflicts of interest will be one of the important factors which Ministers will consider in reaching a final decision.

Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether there will be any changes to the terms and remit of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation in light of changes to the NHS following the implementation of the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

Anna Soubry: The terms of reference of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation are being reviewed as part of a more general review of the Committee's Code of Practice being taken forward as a result of recent developments, including changes to the health and public health system following implementation of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 and the Cabinet Office Public Bodies Review 2012. Any revised terms of reference will be published along with the revised Code of Practice when finalised.

Medicine: Education

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to establish academic health science networks nationwide.

Daniel Poulter: The NHS chief executive's report, ‘Innovation, Health and Wealth: Accelerating, Adoption and Diffusion in the NHS’, committed the national health service to establish a number of Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) across England. A copy has already been placed in the Library.
	Expressions of interest were received from 16 prospective AHSNs in September last year, with 15 receiving the go-ahead to proceed to the application stage for full designation. That process is now under way, and will require each prospective AHSN to set out (in its application) its plan for its first five years. We expect all AHSNs to be in place by Quarter 1 of 2013-14.

Meningitis

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the time frame is for discussions between his Department, Public Health England and the NHS Commissioning Board on the introduction of a new meningococcal B vaccine;
	(2)  whether any meetings have taken place between his Department, Public Health England and the NHS Commissioning Board on the introduction of a new meningococcal B vaccine into the childhood immunisation schedule; and who attended such meetings.

Anna Soubry: The Department will work with the NHS Commissioning Board and Public Health England to plan for the implementation of a possible decision to introduce a meningococcal B immunisation programme, subject to the advice of the joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. A preliminary meeting to explore the possible contractual framework for delivering such a programme took place in January attended by officials from the Department, the NHS Commissioning Board, Public Health England and the Local Government Association. It is anticipated that substantive, meetings on this subject will begin in the very near future.

Meningitis

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Hendon of 18 December 2012, Official Report, column 750W, on meningitis: vaccination, on what date in 2013 the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation is expected to complete its assessment of the meningococcal B vaccine;
	(2)  whether a new meningococcal B vaccine will be introduced into the childhood immunisation schedule before winter 2013;
	(3)  pursuant to the answer of 18 December 2012, Official Report, column 750W, how long after a JCVI decision on the introduction of the meningococcal B vaccine the Government expect to introduce the vaccine into the childhood immunisation schedule and to outline any additional steps required prior to implementation;
	(4)  when a vaccine against meningococcal B will be introduced into the childhood immunisation schedule;
	(5)  what plans there are and what the timescale would be for implementing the meningococcal B vaccine if the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recommend it to be included in the childhood immunisation schedule.

Anna Soubry: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is currently evaluating possible meningococcal B vaccination strategies. The earliest the evaluation is anticipated to be completed and advice provided to the Department is July 2013. However, the evaluation is highly complex and JCVI may need additional time to consider the evidence and to be assured that the benefits, risks and uncertainties are fully considered and reflected in its final advice.
	The Department will work with the NHS Commissioning Board and Public Health England to plan for the implementation of a possible decision to introduce a meningococcal B immunisation programme, subject to the advice of JCVI. The planning will cover all the actions that will be required to introduce a new programme, which would include the procurement of vaccine, commissioning the service, development of guidance for the national health service and communication with the public.
	It is not possible at this stage of the process to predict the implementation date for the possible introduction of meningitis B vaccination into the childhood immunisation programme.

Mental Illness: Children

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of children with a mental disorder in each decile of gross weekly household income.

Norman Lamb: This information is not collected centrally.

NHS: Disclosure of Information

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the frequency with which confidentiality agreements are used as part of severance agreements for departing senior NHS trust managers.

Daniel Poulter: The Department approves business cases for extra contractual compromise agreements but does not usually have sight of the agreements and therefore does not routinely monitor the use of confidentiality clauses.
	National health service bodies including NHS foundation trusts must obtain HM Treasury's permission for extra contractual compromise agreements; however, NHS foundation trusts will initially send any extra contractual compromise agreements to Monitor.

NHS: Disclosure of Information

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to NHS trusts on the use of confidentiality agreements for departing senior managers.

Daniel Poulter: The Department wrote to national health service trusts most recently in January 2012 reminding them that compromise agreements should not seek to prevent information being disclosed in the public interest and to ask that they satisfy themselves that their organisational policies are in line with previously issued guidance.
	In Sir David Nicholson's letter of 1 November 2007 to strategic health authorities (SHAs) covering severance payments to senior managers, he stated:
	“Where compromise agreements are being proposed, you will wish to acquaint yourself with the terms of these documents”.
	He also stated that all proposed payments to chief executives and/or directors in primary care trusts (PCTs) or NHS trusts in England must be approved not only by the Trust's own remuneration committee, but also by the remuneration committee of the local SHA. Copies of both letters have been placed in the Library.
	The NHS Manual for Accounts states that NHS bodies must obtain Treasury's explicit permission before making any staff severance payments that exceed legal or contractual obligations. NHS trusts and PCTs must seek Treasury approval for any non-contractual payments, through the Department. The Department will carefully consider the circumstances of each case.

Nurses

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 25 January 2013, Official Report, column 493W, on NHS: staff, how many (a) district nurses, (b) health visitors, (c) community psychiatric nurses, (d) community matrons and (e) community learning disabilities nurses were employed by the NHS in (i) England and (ii) each region in the most recent period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Daniel Poulter: The total numbers of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff for the staff groups requested in England and in each region are shown in Table 1.
	Since June 2012, there is an additional Health Visiting Minimum Data Set Collection from strategic health authorities (SHAs) that includes additional FTE health visitors employed by non-NHS organisations, not on the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). These figures are shown in Table 2.
	
		
			 Table 1: NHS hospital and community health services: Qualified nursing staff in England by Strategic Health Authority area in each specified area of work as at 31 October 2012 
			 Full-time equivalent 
			 England All specified staff Community learning disabilities Community services Of which: Community matron Health visitor District nurses 
			 North East Strategic Health Authority area 64,119 2,265 15,826 46,028 1,371 8,644 6,209 
			 North West Strategic Health Authority area 5,034 250 1,420 3,363 103 631 390 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority area 10,634 332 2,211 8,091 215 1,496 1,447 
			 East Midlands Strategic Health Authority area 7,193 250 1,461 5,482 199 1,011 474 
		
	
	
		
			 West Midlands Strategic Health Authority area 5,312 216 1,444 3,652 115 711 456 
			 East of England Strategic Health Authority area 7,190 325 1,683 5,181 152 930 838 
			 London Strategic Health Authority area 5,533 264 1,565 3,704 84 684 438 
			 South East Coast Strategic Health Authority area 7,975 135 1,988 5,851 157 1,242 1,034 
			 South Central Strategic Health Authority area 4,557 130 1,048 3,379 107 570 101 
			 South West Strategic Health Authority area 3,994 132 1,085 2,777 95 623 443 
			 Special Health Authorities and other statutory bodies 6,209 230 1,920 4,058 145 746 589 
			  489 (1)— (1)— 489 (1)— 1 (1)— 
			 (1)— = zero Notes: 1. Full-time equivalent figures are rounded to the nearest whole number, 2. Community matrons, health visitors and district nurses work exclusively in the community services area of work. This area of work also includes nurse consultants, modern matrons, nurse managers, RSCNs, other 1st level nurses and other 2nd level nurses who are not separately identified in this table. 3. Special Health Authorities and other statutory bodies include a small number of staff who cannot be assigned to a specific organisation or Strategic Health Authority area. Since June 2012 there is an additional Health Visiting Minimum Data Set Collection from SHAs that includes additional health visitors employed by non-NHS organisations, not on ESR. These figures are provided in a separate table. 4. Data Quality: The Health and Social Care Information Centre seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality where changes impact on figures already published. This is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses. Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Number of health visitors in post—provisional statistics, October 2012 
			  Total number of health visitors (FTE) in post 
			 England 8,932 
			   
			 North of England Strategic Health Authority Cluster 3,196 
			 North East SHA HV Commissioning Area 631 
			 North West SHA HV Commissioning Area 1,500 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber SHA HV Commissioning Area 1,066 
			   
			 Midlands and East Strategic Health Authority Cluster 2,536 
			 East Midlands SHA HV Commissioning Area 773 
			 West Midlands SHA HV Commissioning Area 930 
			 East of England SHA HV Commissioning Area 833 
			   
			 London Strategic Health Authority Cluster 1,185 
			 London SHA HV Commissioning Area 1,185 
			   
			 South of England Strategic Health Authority Cluster 2,014 
			 South East Coast SHA HV Commissioning Area 624 
			 South Central SHA HV Commissioning Area 572 
			 South West SHA HV Commissioning Area 818 
			   
			 Special Health Authorities and other statutory bodies (1)— 
			 (1) denotes zero Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre, Provisional NHS Hospital and Community Health Service (HCHS) monthly workforce statistics

Psychiatry

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the psychiatric diagnostic manual Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5.

Norman Lamb: No such assessment has been made. The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders will be published in America in May this year but will not be routinely used in NHS mental health services which use the tenth edition of the International Classification of Diseases, commonly known as the ICD-10. The ICD-10 is developed and produced by the World Health Organisation.

Vaccination: Children

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether maternity and children's strategic clinical networks will have a role in ensuring the effective implementation and delivery of childhood vaccination programmes.

Anna Soubry: From 1 April 2013, Public Health England (PHE) will be responsible for providing advice to the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS CB) and the Department on immunisation policies. The NHS CB will be responsible for commissioning national immunisation programmes on behalf of the Secretary of State for Health under the provisions of section 7A of the NHS Act 2006 (public health functions to be exercised by the NHS Commissioning Board).
	The lead role relating to immunisation within the NHS CB will sit within the commissioning teams at national, regional and area team level of the Operations Directorate, where there are dedicated posts for public health commissioning including public health expertise integrated within NHS Commissioning Board Area Teams employed by PHE and seconded to NHS CB.
	Information on these arrangements has been set out in a letter from the Department, NHS CB and PHE dated 23 August 2012, a copy of which has been placed in the Library and is available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/08/screening-immunisation-programmes/
	Where there are particular issues either locally or nationally in relation to screening and immunisation, Strategic Clinical Networks may be requested to consider this as an improvement priority within the annual work plan.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Conditions of Employment

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are employed on zero-hour contracts in her Department.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office and its agencies do not employ any people on zero-hour contracts.

Directors

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what declarations of interest must be made by her Department's non-executive directors; with what frequency any such declarations are required to be made; and if she will make that information publicly available.

James Brokenshire: Non-executive directors must declare, to the Secretary of State or Permanent Secretary, any personal or business interest which may or may be perceived to influence their judgment in performing their functions and obligations. These interests include personal direct and indirect pecuniary interests and any such interests of close family members and/or of people living in the same household as the non-executive or their close family members.
	The Department is required to collect this information on an annual basis but is only required to publish it alongside the annual accounts if an interest is declared.

Police National Computer

Therese Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 13 December 2012, Official Report, column 437W, on DNA: databases, what the Government's policy is on compliance with judgment 24029/07 of the European Court of Human Rights relating to deletion of the Police National Computer records of innocent people.

James Brokenshire: The recent judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in the case of MM v. UK held that the retention and disclosure of caution information by the police was, in relation to the specific facts of that case, unlawful. The judgment is not concerned with the retention of police information relating to individuals other than those who have accepted a caution in relation to, and thereby admitted that they committed, a criminal offence. The Government do not consider that the judgment of the ECtHR in this case is correct and will be seeking to appeal the judgment to the Grand Chamber.

Travel and Subsistence Payments

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many senior officials in her Department (a) have and (b) have had during 2012-13 terms of employment that specify that their main place of employment is their home address and that they are entitled to claim travel and subsistence for visiting departmental offices.

James Brokenshire: During 2012-13, no senior officials in the Home Office have had terms of employment that specify their main place of employment as their home address.

INDEPENDENT PARLIAMENTARY STANDARDS AUTHORITY COMMITTEE

Members: Correspondence

Helen Jones: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, pursuant to the answer of 7 January 2013, Official Report, column 118W, on Members: correspondence, when the Chief Executive of IPSA expects to respond to the hon. Member for Warrington North's letter of 27 September 2012; and what the average time taken to reply to correspondence from hon. Members is.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
	Letter from Andrew McDonald, January 2013
	As Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking about your letter to IPSA of 27 September 2012, and the time taken to reply to correspondence more generally.
	I replied to the letter in question on 30 January 2013. I apologise for the delay in replying, which arose because we marked the correspondence - incorrectly - as having been actioned.
	We do not record the time taken to respond to correspondence addressed to the Chief Executive. Across the organisation as a whole in the financial year to date, we responded to 95.9% items of correspondence within five working days, against a target of 90%.

Pay

David Winnick: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, whether arrangements are to be made for public consultation on how much the most senior full-time staff of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority should be paid as salary.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
	Letter from Andrew McDonald, January 2013
	As Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking about pay arrangements for IPSA staff.
	There are no plans to hold a public consultation on the pay of IPSA staff.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Burma

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the provision of water, sanitation and health care services in remote parts of Rakhine state where inter-communal tensions are high.

Alan Duncan: My officials are liaising with the European Commission on the findings from its January assessment mission in Rakhine, including the area's sanitation and health care needs. We also await the findings of a review of health assessments conducted to date by the group of health partners who provide emergency health care in Burma. At the end of last year DFID contributed £2 million in bilateral humanitarian aid to communities affected by the inter-communal violence in Rakhine to improve access to water, sanitation and hygiene and nutrition in children under five years old.

Burma

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to address the severe shortage of food, blankets, medicine and other aid supplies in Kachin state, Burma.

Alan Duncan: DFID has provided £3.5 million for bilateral humanitarian aid to Kachin since January 2012 through local non-governmental organisations (NGO), supported by experienced international NGOs. We continue to monitor the humanitarian situation closely.

Developing Countries: Forests

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the Independent Evaluation Group's report on the World Bank's forest investment programme; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: The Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) report on 10 years of World Bank Group investments in the forest sector is currently under review. It will be considered at the next meeting of the World Bank Group Committee on Development Effectiveness (CODE), of which the United Kingdom is a member, due to be held on 4( )February in Washington DC.

Developing Countries: Forests

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether she plans to write to the International Development Select Committee to update the Government response to the Committee's Fourth Report of Session 2010-12 following the report of the Independent Evaluation Group into the World Bank's forest investment programme.

Alan Duncan: Once the report is officially released the Department for International Development will be in a position to provide an update on the conclusions reached.

Developing Countries: Forests

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she plans to next meet representatives of the World Bank to discuss her Department's contribution to the World Bank's forest investment programme.

Alan Duncan: The UK holds a seat on the Forest Investment Programme sub-committee which meets every six months. The next sub-committee meeting is scheduled to take place in May 2013.

Developing Countries: Forests

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much of the funding her Department has invested in the World Bank's forest investment programme has been used to support (a) logging enterprises and (b) Government-run protected areas since 2008.

Alan Duncan: None.

Palestinians

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid has been allocated to (a) the Palestine Liberation Organisation and (b) the Palestinian Authority in the last 20 years.

Alan Duncan: The information is as follows:
	(a) The UK began providing support to the Palestinian Liberation Organisation's Negotiations Affairs Department (NAD) in 1999 in order to strengthen technical capacity for engaging in effective negotiations and maintaining and promoting prospects for achieving a peaceful resolution of the conflict. In total, we will have allocated a total of £12,294,934 between 1999 and 2014.
	(b) The UK provides financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority (PA) through the World Bank Palestinian Reform and Development Plan trust fund. From 2009 to 2011 the UK provided £107 million to help the PA fund the provision of basic services and develop Palestinian institutions.
	Details of aid spending over the last 20 years are available at:
	www.aiddata.org
	or at:
	http://stats.oecd.org/qwids/

Travel and Subsistence Payments

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many senior officials in her Department (a) have and (b) have had during 2012-13 terms of employment that specify that their main place of employment is their home address and that they are entitled to claim travel and subsistence expenses for visiting departmental offices.

Alan Duncan: None.

JUSTICE

Conditions of Employment

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of staff in his Department currently work (a) part-time, (b) in a job-share or (c) in another flexible working arrangement.

Helen Grant: The proportion of staff within the Ministry of Justice (HQ, National Offenders Management Service, HMCTS and Office of the Public Guardian) currently working (a) part-time, (b) in a job share or (c) in another flexible working arrangement is set out in the following table:
	
		
			 As at 31 December 2012 (headcount) 
			 Employment type Proportion (%) 
			 Part-time workers 16.5 
			 Job share workers 0.2 
			 Other flexible arrangement 4.1 
		
	
	Other flexible working arrangements include compressed hours and home working. Staff within this category may have a combination of flexible working arrangements including part-time hours.

Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when each of the provisions in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 relating to sentencing and offences will come into force.

Jeremy Wright: A significant tranche of Part 3 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 came into force on Monday 3 December.
	The provisions relating to offences in Chapter 9 of the Act are now all in force, with the exception of section 148 on use of reasonable force for the purpose of self-defence. This has not yet been commenced because the Crime and Courts Bill provides for further amendments to the law on use of force.
	The Government intend to bring the remaining provisions in Part 3 into force in 2013.

Parking

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what contracts for providing car park management services to his Department are held by private companies;
	(2)  what the total value is of contracts between his Department and private companies for car park management services in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) South Lanarkshire local authority area.

Jeremy Wright: The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) receives around £64,000 per year for leasing three MOJ assets in England for use as car parks. The contracts are with NCP, the Medical Research Council and Wolverhampton city council.
	Responsibility for the majority of properties providing justice services in Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Parliament. The Ministry of Justice only has responsibility in Scotland for tribunals that deal with reserved matters.
	The answer excludes car park management services provided as part of a private finance initiative (PFI) contract or leases for car parking spaces in private car parks which are not on MOJ land.

Prisoner Escapes

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the circumstances were which led to the escape from HMP Leyhill, South Gloucester by Sean Cawthray; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Wright: A routine roll check at HMP Leyhill on 30 December 2012 identified that Mr Cawthray had absconded from the prison and the police were notified. HMP Leyhill is an open prison.
	Prisoners are categorised and allocated to open conditions following an established risk assessment process. As a prisoner serving an indeterminate sentence, Mr Cawthray was transferred to open conditions on the recommendation of the Parole Board.
	As with any abscond, HMP Leyhill is working closely with the local police to return Mr Cawthray to custody. Absconders who are recaptured are returned to a closed prison to serve the remainder of their sentence and will be considered by the CPS for prosecution.

Prisoners

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what considerations are made when incarcerating a Category A prisoner in any category of prison other than a Category A prison; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Wright: The principal consideration when locating a Category A prisoner outside of a Category A prison is always the need to protect the public. Category A prisoners would normally only be located outside of the High Security Estate where there is no alternative to doing so, and even then, strictly on a temporary basis. Where a Category A prisoner must be held outside of the High Security Estate, a set of specific processes are put in place to ensure that the risk of escape continues to be minimised.

Prisoners: Greater London

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many foreign national prisoners were held in (a) HM Prison Brixton, (b) HM Prison Feltham, (c) HM Prison Holloway, (d) HM Prison Isis, (e) HM Prison Pentonville, (f) HM Prison Wandsworth and (g) HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs on 1 January (i) 2007, (ii) 2008, (iii) 2009, (iv) 2010, (v) 2011, (vi) 2012 and (vii) 2013, by country of origin.

Jeremy Wright: Data are held centrally on the prison population on the last day of each month, so figures have been provided for 31 December. A table showing the prison population for specific establishments by nationality as at 31 December of each year from 2006 to 2011 (latest available) has been placed in the House Library.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisoners: Greater London

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the prison population of (a) HM Prison Brixton, (b) HM Prison Feltham, (c) HM Prison Holloway, (d) HM Prison Isis, (e) HM Prison Pentonville, (f) HM Prison Wandsworth and (g) HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs was on 1 January (i) 2007, (ii) 2008, (iii) 2009, (iv) 2010, (v) 2011, (vi) 2012 and (vii) 2013.

Jeremy Wright: Data are held centrally on the prison population on the last day of each month, so figures have been provided for 31 December. The following table shows the prison population for specific establishments as at 31 December of each year from 2006 to 2011 (latest available).
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
	
		
			 Prison population by establishment, December 2006-11(1), EnglandWales 
			 Establishment 31 December 2006 31 December 2007 31 December 2008 18 December 2009 31 December 2010 31 December 2011 
			 Brixton 800 775 745 743 696 621 
			 Feltham 610 583 560 652 636 690 
			 Holloway 427 465 427 428 450 529 
			 Isis(1) — — — — 198 596 
			 Pentonville 1,032 1,118 1,064 1,214 1,156 1,272 
			 Wandsworth 1,473 1,444 1,598 1,656 1,573 1,518 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 1,260 1,242 1,198 1,297 1,203 1,201 
			 (1) HMP and YOI Isis, which opened on 28 July 2010, is sited within the perimeter wall of HMP Belmarsh. Note: Data for 31 December 2012 not available. Data Sources and Quality: These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisons: Security

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on how many occasions keys to prisons or prison cells have been lost since May 2010.

Jeremy Wright: Between 1 May 2010 and 31 March 2012 there were 136 cases of loss of keys reported by prison establishments. This figure includes all cases of loss, or suspected loss, of keys including those from handcuffs and escort chains. In the time available it has not been possible to interrogate all 136 records to determine which of these incidents involved loss of keys to prisons or prison cells. I will write to the right hon. Member as soon as that information is available.
	Notes
	1. Figures are available to 31 March 2012.
	2. Figures have been drawn from live administrative data systems which may be amended at any time. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.

PRIME MINISTER

Electoral Registration and Administration Bill

Christopher Chope: To ask the Prime Minister for what reasons he set aside collective ministerial responsibility in respect of the Electoral Registration and Administration Bill; and when that decision was taken.

David Cameron: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers given by the Leader of the House of Commons, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), on 29 January 2013, Official Report, columns 806-46, to him and other hon. Members.

Ministerial Policy Advisers

Tom Watson: To ask the Prime Minister who his advisers on trade matters are; by what method each such adviser was appointed; and whether any of his trade advisers have submitted a declaration of interest in respect of their role to date.

David Cameron: Information on officials working in the UK civil service, including the Prime Minister's Office, is in the public domain and is available on the Cabinet Office transparency website. Information regarding appointed business ambassadors and trade envoys can be found in the UKTI website.

SCOTLAND

Conditions of Employment

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in his Department are employed on zero-hour contracts.

David Mundell: No staff in the Scotland Office are employed on a zero-hour contract.

TRANSPORT

East Coast Railway Line

Alistair Darling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the amount of investment needed to maintain and improve track and signalling on the East Coast main line between (a) London and Peterborough, (b) Peterborough and York, (c) York and Newcastle and (d) Newcastle and Edinburgh in (i) 2013 to 2020 and (ii) 2020 to 2033.

Simon Burns: Future maintenance and enhancement requirements for the route are established for each Control Period by the Government's High Level Output Specifications and Statements of Funds Available and Network Rail's delivery plans.
	Details of enhancements underway at the moment were set out in Network Rail's Control Period 4 Delivery Plan and include work to be completed by March 2014.
	Network Rail's Strategic Business Plan, published on 15 January 2013, sets out its plans for maintenance and renewal for Control Period 5 from 2014 to 2019. This plan is currently being reviewed by the Office of Rail Regulation.
	I would expect Network Rail to produce estimates for the period 2020 to 2033 during the course of Control Periods 6 and 7.

East Coast Railway Line

Alistair Darling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the (a) high-speed diesel trains and (b) electric trains operating on the East Coast main line to be replaced; and what estimate he has made of the likely cost of such replacement.

Simon Burns: The InterCity Express programme will provide sufficient new rolling stock to replace East Coast’s existing diesel High Speed Train fleet and to provide some additional capacity. This rolling stock is due to enter service on a phased basis during 2018 and 2019. This phase of the programme has a net present value cost of £1.8 billion at 2009 prices, which includes the capital and maintenance costs for trains and depots for the duration of the 27.5 year contract.
	The programme also includes an option for the Government to secure further electric carriages as a follow-on order. The Department is currently analysing the strategic options for replacing or upgrading the electric InterCity 225 stock, including the option under the InterCity Express programme. A decision on whether to exercise this option is due to be taken later this year.

Great Western Railway Line

Alistair Darling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the level of investment needed to maintain and improve track and signalling on the Great Western main line between London and Bristol in (a) 2013 to 2020 and (b) 2020 to 2033.

Simon Burns: Future maintenance and enhancement requirements for the route are established for each Control Period by the Government's High Level Output Specifications and Statements of Funds Available and Network Rail's delivery plans.
	Details of enhancements under way at the moment were set out in Network Rail's Control Period 4 Delivery Plan and include work to be completed by March 2014.
	Network Rail's Strategic Business Plan, published on 15 January 2013, sets out its plans for maintenance and renewal for Control Period 5 from 2014 to 2019. This plan is currently being reviewed by the Office of Rail Regulation.
	I would expect Network Rail to produce estimates for the period 2020 to 2033 during the course of Control Periods 6 and 7.

Great Western Railway Line

Alistair Darling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on improving and upgrading the West Coast main line between 2000 and 2012; and what estimate he has made of the amount needed to maintain and improve track and signalling on that line between London and Glasgow in (a) 2013 to 2020 and (b) 2020 to 2033.

Simon Burns: Most investment in improving the West Coast main line has been delivered by Network Rail to outputs specified with the Department for Transport. The West Coast route enhancement project delivered by Network Rail cost £8.8 billion and was completed in 2008.
	Future maintenance and enhancement requirements for the route are established for each Control Period by the Government's High Level Output Specifications and Statements of Funds Available and Network Rail's delivery plans.
	Details of enhancements underway at the moment were set out in Network Rail's Control Period 4 Delivery Plan and include work to be completed by March 2014.
	Network Rail's Strategic Business Plan, published on 15 January 2013, sets out its plans for maintenance and renewal for Control Period 5 from 2014 to 2019. This plan is currently being reviewed by the Office of Rail Regulation.
	Network Rail is expected to produce estimates for the period 2020 to 2033 during the course of Control Periods 6 and 7.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his latest estimate is of the total cost for High Speed 2 including the newly announced route to Leeds and Manchester; and on what date that estimate was calculated.

Simon Burns: When the Government announced their decision to proceed with HS2 in January 2012, the construction costs were estimated at around £16.3 billion for phase 1, and around £16.4 billion for phase 2 (2011 prices). Having received advice on route options from HS2 Ltd, the cost of the Government's initial preferred route, station and depot options for phase 2, published on 28 January 2013, is now estimated at around £16.8 billion, without the spur to Heathrow (if the spur is included the costs for phase 2 would rise to around £18.2 billion). Further information is available in the Command Paper ‘High Speed Rail, investing in Britain's Future, Phase 2: Leeds, Manchester, and beyond'.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which consultancy companies are currently contracted to (a) HS2 Ltd and (b) his Department; what the contractual arrangements are in each case; and what fee is being paid to each such company for work connected to HS2.

Simon Burns: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has to publicise the announced consultation on compensation for phase 2 of High Speed 2; and whether any advertising will be placed in local papers along the route.

Simon Burns: The HS2 Phase 2 Exceptional Hardship consultation has now begun. Those individuals recorded by the Land Registry as owners of property or land that has been identified as at risk due to the initial preferred route for phase 2 of HS2, whose property or land is located above a proposed tunnelled section of the initial preferred route for phase 2, or whose property or land would be at risk or above a tunnelled section of the published Heathrow spur route have received a letter which notifies them of the EHS compensation consultation. In addition, HS2 Ltd has informed local authorities, libraries and citizens advice Bureaux about these proposals and asked to display consultation materials sent to them and make them available to their clients. The EHS consultation will be advertised in local newspapers along the line of route.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what surveys the contractors who gave advice to his Department on the proposals for phase 2 of High Speed 2 conducted in Stone constituency;
	(2)  how the contractors who gave advice to the Department on the proposals for phase 2 proceed with their survey methods and over what time period.

Simon Burns: No surveys have been undertaken to date in the Stone constituency to develop the initial preferred scheme for phase 2 of HS2. The advice submitted by HS2 Ltd for phase 2 identifies options which best meet the remit for HS2 Ltd in terms of passenger demand, cost, ease of build, journey time and sustainability. An environmental impact assessment for phase 2 which will take account of a wide range of environmental information, including baseline site surveys, is proposed to commence in 2015. Further details can be found in the Command Paper and sustainability summary documents published on 28 January and placed in the House Libraries.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria the contractors who gave advice to his Department on the proposals for phase 2 of High Speed 2 applied in making their assessments with regard to the local environment, landscape and heritage in Stone constituency.

Simon Burns: The criteria that HS2 Ltd has applied in making its assessments are described in the published reports. Please see “HS2 Phase Two Initial Preferred Scheme—Sustainability Summary” in particular.
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hs2-phase-two-initial-preferred-scheme-sustainability-summary
	Copies of these reports have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what public consultation and meetings were carried out by the contractors who gave advice to his Department on the proposals for phase 2 of High Speed 2 in making their assessments with regard to the route through Stone constituency.

Simon Burns: No public consultation or meetings have been undertaken regarding the development of route options to minimise unnecessary blight and uncertainty. The consultation on the Secretary of State for Transport’s preferred route will start later this year.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what criteria he will apply to compensation for those whose properties will be affected by High Speed 2;
	(2)  what steps he will take to ensure that pre-blight house prices are secured for those (a) eligible for compulsory purchase or (b) under statutory blight as a result of High Speed 2 in (i) route section HSM03 Streethay to Swynnerton, (ii) route section HSM06 Swynnerton to Madeley and (iii) route section HSM08 Madeley to Hough;
	(3)  what compensation he plans to make available to homeowners living along the proposed High Speed 2 route between the route sections Streethay and Hough.

Simon Burns: For phase 1, the Government's proposals for compensation are set out in the property consultation document ‘High Speed Two: Property and Compensation for London-West Midlands: Compensation proposals for property owners and occupiers whose properties may be affected by a high speed rail link'. This consultation closed on 31 January. We will now consider the responses.
	The Government have announced a public consultation on the proposed Exceptional Hardship Scheme (EHS) for phase 2 of HS2. It will run until 29 April 2013. This is an interim scheme which would remain in place only until such time as the statutory blight provisions apply to properties affected by phase 2 or we introduce a wider package of discretionary measures broadly consistent with those for phase 1. At a later stage, following a decision on the final route, and if the Secretary of State for Transport decided to use compulsory purchase powers to acquire land, the normal statutory provisions for the assessment and payment of compensation would apply.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether public funds will be made available for opposing the relevant legal and planning rules and hybrid Bill procedures of phase 2 of High Speed 2.

Simon Burns: There is no source of public funding for people to bring legal challenges to the Government's decisions on HS2.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in relation to phase 2 of High Speed 2, what estimate his Department has made of the value per hectare per year of the affected land in (a) route section HSM03 Streethay to Swynnerton, (b) route section HSM06 Swynnerton to Madeley and (c) route section HSM08 Madeley to Hough.

Simon Burns: The Department does not hold such information.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to mitigate the effect of phase 2 of High Speed 2 on (a) the River Trent and (b) other bodies of water.

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on biodiversity offsetting along the route of High Speed 2.

Simon Burns: The Government are determined to ensure that HS2 is an environmentally responsible project. Ministers and HS2 Ltd meet regularly with environmental groups to discuss the environmental opportunities that HS2 could offer, including the biodiversity offsetting. The initial preferred scheme has emerged from several hundred options as the one considered overall to best meet HS2 sustainability objectives including sustainability. The scheme development has included discussions with the Government's advisory bodies including Natural England, the Environment Agency and English Heritage. However, we are at an early stage in the development of the scheme for phase 2: more work will be undertaken to refine the alignment and include mitigation and a number of the impacts will reduce as the designs are progressed.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to phase 2 of the High Speed 2 railway line, how many properties the Government would own as a result of the proposals to proceed with (a) route section HSM03 Streethay to Swynnerton, (b) route section HSM06 Swynnerton to Madeley and (c) route section HSM08 Madeley to Hough.

Simon Burns: It is not possible to be certain how many properties the Government would own in the future in these areas. The agreed route may differ from that proposed; the number of property owners who may seek assistance through discretionary schemes is not within the Department's control; and the number of properties owned by the Government will vary over time.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many valuations of properties accepted on to the High Speed 2 Exceptional Hardship Scheme have been disputed.

Simon Burns: No valuations of properties accepted on to the HS2 Exceptional Hardship Scheme are currently in dispute. Seven applicants have previously disputed the price offered to them. These disputes have all now been resolved.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of properties requiring access to the Exceptional Hardship Scheme for those living on or near to the proposed route for phase 2 of the High Speed 2 on the route sections running from Streethay to Hough;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of properties requiring access to the Exceptional Hardship Scheme for those living on or near to the proposed route for phase 2 of the High Speed 2 in rural areas.

Simon Burns: We do not offer precise predictions of either the gross or net costs of the various compensation schemes that we have proposed. This is because the number of property owners who may seek compensation, the circumstances of the properties which the Government might purchase, and the precise costs of properties (especially if they are bought some time in the future) are not within the Department's control. We would not want to imply that the budget is cash-limited and that this would affect our willingness to purchase properties.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the cost to the taxpayer of the construction of phase 2 in (a) route section HSM03 Streethay to Swynnerton, (b) route section HSM06 Swynnerton to Madeley and (c) route section HSM08 Madeley to Hough.

Simon Burns: Due to the scale, complexity and timeframe of the project, our starting assumption is that the funding and financing of HS2 infrastructure would come in large part from central Government funds. While our base assumption is that Government are likely to have a central role in driving forward investment in this vital infrastructure for the country we would examine the potential for private financing to reduce the up-front capital demand on the taxpayer and offer value for money. The construction costs estimated at this stage are for an initial preferred route which begins the process of engagement to determine the final route. The Government's initial preferred route, station and depot options for phase 2 are estimated at around £16.8 billion, without the spur to Heathrow. This cost figure falls within the cost range that HS2 Ltd produced for phase 2 of £15.7 billion to £18.7 billion, reflecting the necessary uncertainty involved in producing costs at this early stage in the project.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much expenditure (a) his Department and (b) HS2 Ltd expects to incur on phase 2 of the High Speed 2 programme, including on compensation payments.

Simon Burns: HS2 Ltd is the Department's executive non-departmental public body, with a remit for the delivery of HS2. Regarding the Department's expenditure on HS2, I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 23 October 2012, Official Report, column 768W, and my answer of 24 October 2012, Official Report, column 893W.
	Regarding the cost of compensation payments, we do not offer precise predictions of either the gross or net costs of the various compensation schemes that we have proposed. This is because the number of property owners who may seek compensation, the circumstances of the properties which the Government might purchase, and the precise costs of properties (especially if they are bought some time in the future) are not within the Department's control. We would not want to imply that the budget is cash-limited and that this would affect our willingness to purchase properties.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to mitigate the effect of phase 2 of High Speed 2 on residential properties.

Simon Burns: The initial preferred scheme has emerged from several hundred options as the one considered overall to best meet objectives for passenger demand, cost, ease of build, journey time and sustainability. Considerations of sustainability have been integral to scheme design since commencing work on phase 2 in autumn 2010. During this time, sustainability has been one of the key criteria in the development of route and station proposals that fit as far as possible with the environment and communities they pass. However, the project is at an early stage in the development of the scheme: more work will be undertaken to refine the alignment and include mitigation such as landscaping and noise barriers, and a number of the impacts will reduce as the designs are progressed.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who the contractors were who gave advice to the Department on the proposals for phase 2 in (a) route section HSM03 Streethay to Swynnerton, (b) route section HSM06 Swynnerton to Madeley and (c) route section HSM08 Madeley to Hough.

Simon Burns: The Department has set up HS2 Ltd to provide advice on proposals for phase 2. Details of the consultants employed by HS2 Ltd are set out in their reports, published on the DFT website on 28 January. Copies of the reports have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses and can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-speed-rail-investing-in-britains-future-phase-two-the-route-to-leeds-manchester-and-beyond

High Speed 2 Railway Line

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to his Statement on HS2, what consideration has been made for the provision of double decker passenger trains operating on HS2.

Simon Burns: HS2 infrastructure will be built to be compliant with the European Technical Standards for Interoperability, the TSIs. The TSIs mandate that the railway infrastructure is constructed to ‘GC gauge’. Building to ‘GC Gauge’ requires all the structures on the route, such as bridges, tunnels and viaducts to be built with sufficient clearance to allow the operation of TSI compliant rolling stock which would include double deck passenger trains such as the TGV Duplex.

Large Goods Vehicles

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many longer semi-trailers of (a) 1 metre and (b) 2.05 metres have been introduced by each company on to UK roads since trials began in January 2012;
	(2)  how many safety incidents have been reported involving longer semi-trailers of each length since January 2012; and what the severity of each such incident was;
	(3)  what assessment his Department has made of the recent trials of whether longer semi-trailers should be allowed on UK roads.

Stephen Hammond: As at 29 January, we have issued vehicle special orders (VSOs) for 83 trailers that are 1 metre longer and 331 trailers that are 2.05 metres longer than the current standard. These trailers are either on the road or under construction. The number introduced by each company is commercially confidential.
	As at 29 January, there have been 35 safety incidents reported involving the longer semi-trailers. None of these incidents have involved any injuries and most have been off the public highway.
	The Department has contracted Risk Solutions to monitor and evaluate the longer semi-trailer trial. The aim is to verify in practice the findings of the research, feasibility study and impact assessment, which were carried out before the trial began. Risk Solutions is collecting data on performance and safety from trial participants and an assessment will be carried out once there are sufficient data to undertake a meaningful analysis. The timing of this will depend on the rate of take-up by trial participants.

Marine Navigation Bill (HL)

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the Marine Navigation Bill on the UK's international maritime treaty obligations through the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Stephen Hammond: The Government consider that the Marine Navigation (No.2) Bill is consistent with the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Code. The Bill, which is supported by national associations representing ports and shipping, will reduce costs and burdens for industry while protecting maritime safety.

Motor Vehicles: Testing

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what provisions there are in the MOT vehicle test to ensure that particulate filters or other emission control equipment fitted to a vehicle at manufacture are functioning correctly.

Stephen Hammond: There is no statutory requirement in MOT testing procedures to ensure that particulate filters or other emission control equipment fitted to a vehicle at manufacture are functioning correctly. The MOT test does, however, include an exhaust gas opacity test against measurements laid down in Directive 2010/48/EU. Providing these limits are met, the vehicle is considered to have passed that part of the test.

Railways: Scotland

Alistair Darling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the amount spent by Network Rail on maintaining and improving track and signalling in Scotland between 2000 and 2012; and what estimate he has made of the level of such expenditure between (a) 2013 and 2020 and (b) 2020 and 2033.

Simon Burns: The Secretary of State for Transport has made no estimates. Spending between 2000 and 2012 is published on the Network Rail (NR) website. Future expenditure on rail infrastructure in Scotland is a matter for Scottish Ministers in conjunction with NR.

Rolling Stock

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that all Pacer rolling stock is taken out of operation in rail services in the north of England by 2019 to comply with disability legislation.

Simon Burns: The Department has set out the level of accessibility that it expects Pacers to have if they are to remain in service after 2019—it will be for the owners to decide whether to invest in life-extension works.

Sir Howard Davies

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) date, (b) location and (c) duration has been of (i) discussions and (ii) meetings between Ministers in his Department and Sir Howard Davies in the last 12 months.

Simon Burns: Ministers from the Department for Transport routinely meet a range of individuals and organisations from both the public and private sectors. The Department does not, as a matter of routine, collect data on the total number of such meetings.
	Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations are routinely published every quarter and information can be accessed on the GOV.UK website via the following links:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministerial-transparency-data#meetings

Staff

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many officials have been transferred from any area of the Civil Service to (a) his Department, (b) High Speed 2 Ltd and (c) any other organisation, company or consultancy working on High Speed 2 since 1 January 2009; from which Department each such official transferred; and what their (i) grade and (ii) salary scale was (A) before and (B) after the transfer.

Simon Burns: I can confirm that HS2 Ltd does hold this information, but HS2 Ltd staff will draw it together. As soon as this has been done I will write to the right hon. Lady and place a copy of the letter in the Library of the House.

Staff

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport at which premises personnel working on High Speed 2 are based; what the square footage is of office space so occupied; and what rental is due for the occupation of such space.

Simon Burns: HS2 Ltd personnel are based in two locations, London and Birmingham. The details for the London office are as follows:
	Address
	Eland House, Bressenden Place, London SW1 5DU
	Square footage of office space
	2nd floor: 29,731 sq ft
	7th floor: 5,535 sq ft
	Rental costs
	2nd floor: 29, 731 sq ft—costs relating to HS2 Ltd's lease runs from 1 April 2012 to 31 October 2016 at a rent of £40 per square foot with a 15-month rent free period. No rent is payable therefore until 1 July 2013. Thus in 2012-13 HS2 Ltd's rent is zero. In 2013-14, rent will be £1.209 million (nine months) and in 2014-15, £1.612 million. These figures are inclusive of VAT. There is no information yet available for the 7th floor as this floor has been moved into only during the last month and financial processes are yet to be put in place for the transmission of cost information to HS2 Ltd.
	HS2 Ltd is also charged for 13.94% of the total service charges (rates, heating etc) based on HS2 Ltd occupying 13.94% of the building. This amounts to £1.264 million per annum payable from 1 April 2012. Thus total figures are for 2012-13—£1.264 million; 2013-14—£2.473 million (nine months rent) and 2014-15—£2.876 million (full rent). These figures are inclusive of VAT.
	The details for the Birmingham office are as follows:
	Address
	St. Philips Place, Birmingham, B3 2PW
	Square footage of office space
	5th Floor: 525 sq ft
	Rental costs
	For the 5th floor, rent and service charge is roughly £65,000 per annum with a rent rebate for three months (1 November 2012 to 31 January 2013) of £8,000.

West Coast Railway Line

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the economic effects of the upgraded West Coast main line on (a) Liverpool, (b) Manchester and (c) the borough of Halton.

Simon Burns: It is the Department's intention to carry out a review into the effects of the West Coast main line upgrade in due course, when a sufficient number of years' data are available to enable meaningful analysis.

TREASURY

Child Benefit

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the real-terms financial effect of the increase of 1% to child benefit and working tax credit payments on households in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) Livingston constituency in (i) 2012-13, (ii) 2013-14, (iii) 2014-15 and (iv) 2015-16.

Sajid Javid: The impact of capping child benefit uprating at 1% from 2014-15 is dependent on the number of children in the family. Previous announcements have already frozen child benefit rates for 2012-13 and 2013-14 so this policy has no impact on families receiving child benefit in these years.
	The following table details the annual reduction for different sized families, compared to if payments were to rise in line with CPI. This also assumes that these families are unaffected by the high income child benefit charge. It looks at the impact of child benefit uprating in isolation, and does not take account of other benefit or tax changes.
	
		
			 Change in child benefit entitlement 
			 £, yearly 
			  2014-15 2015-16 
			 One child family -18.25 -31.40 
			 Two child family -28.70 -49.65 
		
	
	We cannot provide detailed breakdowns for different regions; however, based on the most recent published data (August 2011), Scotland and Livingston constituency have a slightly higher proportion of smaller families than the UK as a whole. Therefore the average loss in these regions will be slightly lower.
	It is not possible to show the impact of working tax credits uprating on households in isolation, as tax credits are a combined payment for both working and child tax credits, and a family's award (and therefore payment) depends on their entitlement to both.
	This analysis looks at the 1% uprating of tax credits and child benefit in isolation, and does not take account of other Government policies such as the largest ever increase to the personal allowance that will take effect in April 2013.

Pensions and Personal Savings

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of whether the pensions and savings industry is working well in terms of transparency, fee and charges disclosure and levels of consumer trust.

Sajid Javid: The Financial Services Authority currently has responsibility for regulating the conduct of financial services firms. This responsibility will be transferred to the Financial Conduct Authority from 1 April 2013. The FSA is also undertaking a review of its approach to transparency and will be publishing a discussion paper at the end of February.
	The Government support a transparent pensions and savings market that delivers the best deal possible for savers. Initiatives currently under way include:
	the Association of British Insurers' new Code of Conduct for Retirement Choices which is due to be implemented by 1 March 2013;
	the ABI and the National Association of Pension Funds codes of conduct on pension charges;
	the Office of Fair Trading market study into workplace pensions which will examine how schemes are working for their members;
	the “Simple financial products” initiative being led by Carol Sergeant that will help consumers navigate the financial services market by using them as a benchmark; and
	the FSA thematic review on annuities.

Schools: Snow and Ice

Iain Stewart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the general economy when a school has to close due to inclement weather.

Sajid Javid: The decision on whether to close is for individual schools, but the Government expect head teachers to keep schools open whenever reasonably possible. Unnecessarily closing schools causes disruption to children's education and to their parents.
	The Government have not made a specific estimate of the effect a school closure will have on the level of gross domestic product (GDP). A school closure will have a direct effect on public sector output and is likely to have indirect effects on private sector output. Temporary disruptions are typically subsequently offset to some degree, though to the extent that that did not occur, GDP would be permanently affected.

Tax Evasion and Fraud

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations and proposals his Department has made to the European Commission on efforts to combat tax evasion and fraud; and if he will place in the Library copies of such representations and proposals.

David Gauke: On 14 January 2013 I deposited an Explanatory Memorandum on the Commission's communications to tackle tax fraud and tax evasion. The Government are fully committed to clamping down on those who evade paying their tax and welcome Commission consideration of what EU-level actions may be appropriate.
	The Government are currently considering the proposals in the Commission's action plan in further detail, including the priority which should be given to the various proposals while taking fully into account the subsidiarity principle and balance of competences in this area.

Tax Yields

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much HM Revenue and Customs collected in tax in each of the last five years; and what proportion was from Northern Ireland in each such year.

David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs publish total receipts for the United Kingdom on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/receipts.htm
	Estimates of the proportion paid by Northern Ireland for the indirect taxes (covering VAT, alcohol duties, shares, tobacco duties, fuel duty, gambling duties, climate change levy, air passenger duty, landfill tax, aggregates levy and insurance premium tax) are not available.
	Estimates, where available, of the proportion of revenue collected from Northern Ireland are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Northern Ireland revenue 
			 Percentage 
			  2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Income tax 2.0 1.9 2.0 n/a 1.8 1.7 — 
			 NICs 2.2 2.2 2.0 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.1 
			 CT 1.5 1.6 1.5 1.1 n/a — — 
			 IHT 1.0 0.8 1.3 1.5 1.3 1.4 1.0 
			 SDLT 2.2 0.9 2.1 0.9 0.5 0.4 0.3

UK Membership of EU

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the economic benefits of UK membership of the European Union compared to the financial contributions made to the EU.

Greg Clark: A formal cost-benefit analysis would be difficult to carry out meaningfully as some of the most important benefits cannot be quantified: for example, our leading role in EU foreign policy; or how enlargement has helped spread peace and freedom across Europe. Evidence submitted to the Balance of Competences review should provide some evidence of costs and benefits of specific areas of EU activity.

Working Tax Credit

Ian Murray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people who receive working tax credits are in employment under a zero-hours or casual contract.

Sajid Javid: This information is not available.

Working Tax Credit: Liverpool

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people living in Liverpool, Walton constituency are in receipt of working tax credit; and what the average weekly payment is to such people.

Sajid Javid: HM Revenue and Customs publishes National Statistics on Tax Credits. The latest snapshot as at 1 December is available at a geographic level here:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/prov-geog-stats/cwtc-geog-dec12.xls
	As at 1 December 2012, there were 5.4 thousand families in receipt of working tax credits in Liverpool, Walton.
	The average weekly tax credit entitlement for the Liverpool, Walton constituency is £130.
	There will be a further group of families who are not in receipt of working tax credit as their award has been tapered away, but who benefit from a higher award as they are eligible for it. This group will have a lower average entitlement.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Transsexuality: Discrimination

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what steps the Government are taking to tackle discrimination against transsexual and transgender people in the (a) workplace and (b) wider society.

Jo Swinson: holding answer 31 January 2013
	Our action plan, Working for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equality: Moving Forward, published in March 2011, included a series of commitments to advance transgender equality. But in recognition of the distinct challenges that transgender people can face, we published the first ever action plan for transgender equality, Advancing Transgender Equality: A Plan for Action, in December 2011. These plans include a range of measures to improve the lives of transgender people in a number of areas of public policy, including hate crime, health, education and employment.
	A number of the commitments have already been delivered, including the publication in July 2011 of research by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research on the barriers faced by employers in developing positive work environments for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender staff, and an amendment to the Criminal Justice Act 2003 to provide for sentences to be aggravated for any offence motivated by hostility towards the victim on the grounds of being transgender.
	The Government continue to work towards further action, including updating guidance and support for employers on recruiting and employing transgender employees and supporting employees undergoing gender reassignment with their transition.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Atos Healthcare

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance his Department has issued to Atos on the employment of personnel who carry out medical assessments.

Mark Hoban: The Department require Atos to comply with the recruitment standards specified in the contract between DWP and Atos. No additional guidance has been issued by the Department to Atos in this regard.

Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether a handover report was prepared by the Board of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission before its abolition and the transfer of its functions and services to his Department; and if he will publish any such report.

Steve Webb: Prior to the abolition of CMEC and the transfer of its functions to the Department, the CMEC Board prepared a very helpful handover report. The report contains information which is commercially sensitive and was written for internal use only. On that basis, the Department does not intend to publish it.

Child: Maintenance

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will publish the new Client Charter for the Child Maintenance Service on his Department's and the Directgov website; and if he will send a hard copy of this document to all hon. Members.

Steve Webb: We will ensure that the Client Charter is published on the DWP website on 4 February, within the child maintenance section where it is most relevant and can be easily found.
	The Directgov website was replaced by the new GOV.UK portal in October 2012 and Government Digital Services (part of Cabinet Office) who control this new service have more specific rules on the types of content it will publish. I am advised that GOV.UK's usual policy is not to publish service standards of any Government department or service as they do not see this as meeting a citizen' need. However we have asked them to consider publication of the charter.
	A hard copy of the document will be placed in the House Library.

Employment Schemes

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent steps he has taken with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills to integrate initiatives to tackle unemployment and to promote skills development.

Mark Hoban: My Department works closely with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to help unemployed people access the skills support they need to get a job and to keep in work. Our policies aim to build local partnerships to ensure the right training is in place to meet the needs of employers and those looking for work.
	An example of this integrated approach is sector-based work academies, which give jobseekers pre-employment training, work experience and an interview with an employer. The scheme is developed in partnership with employers, local training providers and Jobcentres and gives people on JSA or ESA (work-related activity group) an opportunity to receive training and experience to compete for jobs in a demand sector.

Jobcentre Plus: Wales

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans his Department has for Rhyl job centre in the (a) short, (b) medium and (c) long-term.

Mark Hoban: DWP is committed to delivering services in Rhyl, and has no plans to withdraw services from Rhyl in the short, medium or long term.

Members: Correspondence

Andrew Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to reply to the letter from a constituent of the hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston, Mr Tolen, who wrote to him on 6 December 2012 expressing concerns about the Pension Service.

Mark Hoban: The Department for Work and Pensions' chief operating officer's team sent an interim reply to Mr Tolen on 14 January 2013. I have asked that an appropriate director provide Mr Tolen with a substantive reply on behalf of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions as soon as they are in a position to do so.

Social Rented Housing

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the number of in-work households affected by the social rented sector under-occupancy penalty.

Steve Webb: The size criteria test has been successfully applied to housing benefit recipients living in the private rented sector since the 1990s, including in-work households.
	We estimate that the extension of the test to social sector tenants from April this year will affect 140,000 in-work households.

Social Security Benefits

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the average weekly reduction in entitlement of a claimant in the (a) support group and (b) work-related activity group as a result of the Welfare Benefits Up-rating Bill in (i) 2013-14, (ii) 2014-15 and (iii) 2015-16.

Steve Webb: The Welfare Benefits Up-rating Bill relates only to 2014-15 and 2015-16. The average weekly reduction in total benefit income for the groups requested is set out in the following table. Figures for 2014-15 are not available.
	
		
			  Average change for those affected by the Welfare Benefits Up-rating Bill in 2015-16 (£ per week) 
			 ESA Work Related Activity Group -£4 
			 ESA Support Group -£3 
			 Note: Change is rounded to the nearest whole pound.

Travel and Subsistence Payments

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many senior officials in his Department (a) have and (b) have had during 2012-13 terms of employment that specify that their main place of employment is their home address and that they are entitled to claim travel and subsistence expenses for visiting departmental offices.

Mark Hoban: No senior officials in the Department for Work and Pensions have, or have had during 2012-13, terms of employment that specify that their main place of employment is their home address.

Unemployment: Young People

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment has been made of the effect of (a) the Youth Contract and (b) the Work programme on long-term youth unemployment.

Mark Hoban: The Work programme supports claimants who are long-term unemployed or at risk of becoming so. To July 2012 over 240,000 young people were being supported by the programme nationally
	Nationally, over 9,600 (4%) young people have been supported into sustained work so far, which is six months in work for most. It is too early to judge the programme on job outcomes alone, however, as we have one year’s worth of data for a programme that supports claimants for two years and it will take time for claimants to reach six months in employment. Data from ERSA (to September 2012) show us that nationally over 57,000 young people (over 36%) have moved into work so far and that job entries are rising month on month.
	The Youth Contract was introduced in April 2012 to provide additional support, worth almost £1 billion, to unemployed young people over the next three years. While it is too early to make any judgments as to its effectiveness, we have commissioned an external evaluation of the Youth Contract to examine delivery and outcomes and the first evaluation report will be available in early 2013.

Work Capability Assessment

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2012, Official Report, column 963W, on work capability assessment, how many of the overturned decisions in each month listed originally assessed the claimant as fit for work.

Mark Hoban: The following table shows the number of occasions where the DWP Decision Maker made a different decision from the Atos Fit for Work recommendation for initial assessments in relation to new claims for ESA in each month between May 2010 and February 2012 (the latest data available).
	
		
			 Number of occasions where the DWP decision was different to Atos Fit for Work recommendation each month between May 2010 and February 2012 
			 Month of assessment DWP decision differs from Atos Fit for Work recommendation 
			 May 2010 700 
		
	
	
		
			 June 2010 800 
			 July 2010 900 
			 August 2010 1,100 
			 September 2010 1,000 
			 October 2010 1,700 
			 November 2010 2,400 
			 December 2010 2,100 
			 January 2011 2,400 
			 February 2011 2,800 
			 March 2011 3,300 
			 April 2011 2,500 
			 May 2011 2,800 
			 June 2011 2,600 
			 July 2011 1,900 
			 August 2011 1,800 
			 September 2011 1,500 
			 October 2011 1,300 
			 November 2011 1,300 
			 December 2011 1,100 
			 January 2012 1,600 
			 February 2012 2,000 
			 Notes: 1. These figures do not include WCAs completed on Incapacity Benefit Reassessment (IBR) claims. The Department has published initial findings on the outcomes of IBR, which can be found on the departmental website here: http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/index.php?page=esa_ibr 2. The table includes initial assessments only and the numbers have been rounded to the nearest 100.

Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether providers of the Work programme are able to share referral and job outcome data with local authorities at their own discretion.

Mark Hoban: Work programme providers are able to share specified Management Information with local authorities where a confidentiality agreement is in place. Data that can be shared include referrals, attachments, job entries, and specified information on job outcomes.

Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the extent of parking of participants in the Work programme.

Mark Hoban: The official evaluation is looking specifically at this. The view from the Institute for Employment Studies is that it is too early to draw firm conclusions about the existence or extent of creaming and parking.

Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had with the Secretaries of State for (a) Business, Innovation and Skills and (b) Education on integrating pre-apprenticeship traineeships into the Work programme and the youth contract.

Mark Hoban: I meet regularly with the Minister for Skills to discuss a wide range of skills issues, particularly focusing on provision for the unemployed, including traineeships.